Apparatus for dyeing textile piece goods in rope or open width form

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a winch dyeing machine for tubular fabrics in which the fabric is passed through a passageway by the circulation of dye liquor therethrough and on being lifted from the passageway is ballooned by air issuing from a jet or jets, a trigger arm engaged by the fabric operating a valve to control the air jet to regulate the size of the balloon, a roller engaging a metering roller delivering the fabric to the passageway to close the balloon at one end to prevent air from entering the passageway inside the fabric and liquor sprays are directed onto the fabrics as it is lifted from the passageway to close the balloon at the other end.

United States Patent [1 1 Stanway [75] lnventor: Edward Stanway, Prestbury,

England [73] Assignee: Leemetals Limited, Macclesfield.

England [22] Filed: June 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 375,130

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 13, 1972 United Kingdom 32714/72 [52] US. Cl. 68/20; 68/62, 68/177, 68/184 [51] Int. Cl. B05c 3/172; B05c 11/00 [58] Field of Search 68/176-179, 68/184, 62. 20,22 R; 26/20. 21, 55 R, 56; 8/152 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.790.132 l/1931 Bronander 68/177 3.508.286 4/1970 Rosen 68/22 R X x l .-"I 1 July 15, 1975 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 757,921 9/1956 United Kingdom 68/177 1,230,477 5/1971 United Kingdom 68/177 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerPhilip R. Coe Attorney, Agent. or Firm-Norris & Bateman {57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to a winch dyeing machine for tubular fabrics in which the fabric is passed through a passageway by the circulation of dye liquor therethrough and on being lifted from the passageway is ballooned by air issuing from a jet or jets, a trigger arm engaged by the fabric operating a valve to control the air jet to regulate the size of the balloon. a roller engaging a metering roller delivering the fabric to the passageway to close the balloon at one end to prevent air from entering the passageway inside the fabric and liquor sprays are directed onto the fabrics as it is lifted from the passageway to close the balloon at the other end.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE PIECE GOODS IN ROPE OR OPEN WIDTH FORM This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dyeing tubular piece goods in rope or open width form.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,905 dated Aug. 29, 1972, describes a method for removal of surplus liquor in the winch dyeing of textile fabrics in open width or rope form prior to the passage of the fabric over a winch roller comprising traversing the fabric in folded sinuous form through a restricted passageway containing a bath of dye liquor, extracting liquor from the passageway at a level below that at which the fabric ceases to remain in folded form and returning the liquor to the inlet side of the passageway at a level higher than the first mentioned level for recirculation with the folded fabric through the passageway together with apparatus for carrying out the method comprising an arcuate passageway between retaining means for folding fabric in sinuous manner in the passageway, means for supplying dye liquor to the passageway at the inlet and thereof to pass along the passageway with the fabric and means for extracting liquor from the passageway at a lower level than the liquor level at the inlet of the passageway and at a lower level than the point at which the fabric is unfolded.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,905 also describes means for ballooning a tubular fabric as the fabric rises out of the tunnel by blowing compressed air thereinto to remove creasing, and it has now been found that a more efficient balloon can be produced by introducing the compressed air at the end of the balloon adjacent the fabric conveying roller and by providing sprays to dampen the fabric at each end of the balloon to cut down the es cape of air from the balloon.

According to the invention a winch dyeing machine comprises an arcuate passageway between retaining walls, the inner wall of which is perforated, sprays for folding the fabric in a sinuous manner into the passageway and for supplying dye liquor to the machine, a liquor outlet at a lower level than the inlet and a pump for circulating the liquor and to the sprays, a metering roller by which the fabric is traversed through the machine, an air jet for forming a balloon in the fabric as it is lifted out of the passageway and a trigger arm engaging the fabric to operate a valve controlling the air jet to regulate the size of the balloon.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. I is a transverse section of a winch dyeing machine showing the passage of the fabric therethrough;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partly in section enlarged of the air balloon valve.

A winch dyeing machine A for dyeing tubular fabric 1 is constructed with a substantially semi-circular passageway C through which the fabric in folded form is passed. The passageway C is of arcuate shape and extends the whole length of the machine. The inner surface of the passageway is perforated over the periphery. The fabric is transported over a conveying and metering roller B driven by a motor not shown, and falls into the passageway C in pleated form and from which the fabric is withdrawn at the other end of the passageway C over a roller R and then repasses over the metering roller B. Plaiting sprays or jets b act on the fabric as it enters the passageway C. The plaiting alternator controls the delivery of the liquor from a pump 22 first to one spray or jet b and then to the other to cause the fabric to be plaited into the passageway C.

The track of the fabric as it passes to the roller R is controlled by a roller peg P.

The fabric on emerging from the passageway C in sinuous form is lifted by the front roller R and passes over the fabric metering roller B before being again reformed into sinuous form for re-passing through the passageway C.

An air injector nozzle 2 or nozzles are mounted below the fabric 1 in advance of the metering roller B to introduce air to balloon the fabric 1 between the outlet from the passageway C and the metering roller B, the air passing from the nozzle 2 or nozzles substantially through the lower surface of the fabric to form the balloon and hence remove folds and creases from the fabric.

Doctor blades 5 supported by spring loaded bolts c engage the metering roller B to prevent the fabric from being wound thereon and the fabric is then subjected to the plaiting jets b to cause the fabric to enter the passageway C in a sinuous form as it passes over a plaiting device the width of the plaits being adjusted by the width control device 17'.

In order to prevent the fabric in the passageway C from becoming trapped during its passage therethrough, the depth of the passageway is gradually increased towards the outlet end.

A pair of front fabric spraying jets 3 are directed onto the fabric 1 as it rises to the front roller R to reduce the escape of air from the balloon and a roller D engaging the metering roller B hereinafter described to reduce the escape of air as the fabric passes over the roller B.

The lower surface of the fabric passes over a trigger arm 4 acting as a balloon size regulating arm as it passes to the metering roller B to prevent the balloon from becoming too large, and passing over the roller B, as it is important that air shall not be trapped in the fabric on re-entering the passageway C.

The air passing to the nozzle 2 or nozzles passes through a control valve 6 by which the size of the balloon can be regulated.

The air injection control valve 6 is controlled by the anti balloon trigger arm 4 (FIG. 3) connected by a pivot 8 to a bracket 7 mounted on valve 6. A cam 15 is mounted on a pivot So for selectively latching arm 4 in the full line position of FIG. 3 to shut off the valve 6 which has a conical seating face. The valve 6 on the end of a valve spindle 9 that slides in a sleeve 11 in the valve body. Air is supplied to the valve body through a tube 12 and supports therein by a sleeve 13 which also seals an air delivery pipe 14 to the jet or jets 2. An adaptor on the end of the pipe 14 joins pipe 14 to the valve seat 14b mounted in sleeve 13. The rear end of the trigger arm 4 acts as a guard to keep the ballooning fabric from contacting the valve assmbly.

The annular internal valve chamber surrounding the left end of spindle 9 in FIG. 3 contains air at the pressure P, delivered by pipe 12, and the exposed axial cross-sectional area of annulus A of the valve spindle 9 is such that under the action of air pressure Px from the tube 12 which is greater than the machine ambient pressure Py the valve spindle 9 is subjected to a resultant force away from seat 14b sufficient to lift the trigger arm 4 upwards, opening the valve. As soon as the valve 6 has left its seat 14b the pressure PX in the annular chamber drops as the compressed air escapes through the pipe 14 to jets 2, but the reduced pressure Px now acts on the whole cross sectional area of spindle 9 and the resultant opening force may be made constant, by providing a predetermined ratio between the cross sectional area of the spindle 9 and the orifice in valve seat 14b for the normal differential pressure conditons. Movement of the trigger arm 4 in the direction of the arrow against the action of this force closes the valve; this movement is limited by contact with the top of tube 12 to avoid excessive pressure on the valve seat 14b and/or bending of the trigger arm 4.

A roller D is mounted on a lever 17 pivoted on the machine casing and held in contact with the metering roller B by a spring 18 and when loading the machine is manually pivoted clear of the roller B by a cam 19 operated by an arm 20 or otherwise.

Liquor is circulated to the machine by a pump manifold 21 and is withdrawn from the bottom of the machine.

The liquor is supplied through the jets b and also through the sprays 3.

An inlet 23 to the machine may be provided for inserting a sample of the fabric into a small chamber 24 for checking the colour of the fabric passing through the passageway C.

What I claim is:

1. A winch dyeing machine having means for the removal of surplus liquor in the dyeing of tubular fabrics comprising means defining an arcuate passageway upwardly open at opposite ends, a driven metering roller for traversing said fabric through the machine, means comprising controlled jets of dye liquor whereby the fabric leaving said metering rollers is folded in a sinuous manner and directed down into one end of said passageway, means at the other end of said passageway for lifting the fabric from the passageway and directing it toward said metering roller, air jet means effective on the fabric after it has been raised from the passageway and before it passes over said metering roller for ballooning'sa'ad fabric, a control valve assembly for said jet means, means engaged by the raised fabric connected to said control valve assembly for regulating the size of said ballooning, means for directing jets of said liquor onto the fabric as it is raised out of said passageway to prevent air from the ballooned portion from passing to the fabric in said passageway, and means engaging the fabric at the periphery of said metering roller for preventing air from passing over the roller with the fabric.

2. The machine defined in claim 1, wherein said means engaged by the fabric is a movable trigger arm positioned by said control valve assembly.

3. The machine defined in claim 2, wherein said control valve assembly comprises a valve spindle connected to said trigger arm and connected to be subject to compressed air at a control pressure.

4. A winch dyeing machine as in claim 3 in which the valve operating the trigger arm is opened by compressed air supplied to a chamber surrounding the valve spindle at a greater pressure than the pressure in the machine, the ratio between the cross section of an spindle and the orifice in the valve seat being predetermined to maintain the operating force constant.

5. The machine defined in claim 1, wherein said passage has perforated walls internally of the machine and a pump is provided for circulating dye liquor through said jets.

6. The machine defined in claim 1, wherein said means at periphery of said metering roller is a spring biased pressure roller engaging the fabric on the periphery of said metering roller.

7. The machine defined in claim 6, wherein said pressure roller is mounted on a spring biased lever, and means is provided for latching said lever in inoperative position while the machine is being loaded with fabric. 

1. A winch dyeing machine having means for the removal of surplus liquor in the dyeing of tubular fabrics comprising means defining an arcuate passageway upwardly open at opposite ends, a driven metering roller for traversing said fabric through the machine, means comprising controlled jets of dye liquor whereby the fabric leaving said metering rollers is folded in a sinuous manner and directed down into one end of said passageway, means at the other end of said passageway for lifting the fabric from the passageway and directing it toward said metering roller, air jet means effective on the fabric after it has been raised from the passageway and before it passes over said metering roller for ballooning said fabric, a control valve assembly for said jet means, means engaged by the raised fabric connected to said control valve assembly for regulating the size of said ballooning, means for directing jets of said liquor onto the fabric as it is raised out of said passageway to prevent air from the ballooned portion from passing to the fabric in said passageway, and means engaging the fabric at the periphery of said metering roller for preventing air from passing over the roller with the fabric.
 2. The machine defined in claim 1, wherein said means engaged by the fabric is a movable trigger arm positioned by said control valve assembly.
 3. The machine defined in claim 2, wherein said control valve assembly comprises a valve spindle connected to said trigger arm and connected to be subject to compressed air at a control pressure.
 4. A winch dyeing machine as in claim 3 in which the valve operating the trigger arm is opened by compressed air supplied to a chamber surrounding the valve spindle at a greater pressure than the pressure in the machine, the ratio between the cross section of an spindle and the orifice in the valve seat being predetermined to maintain the operating force constant.
 5. The machine defined in claim 1, wherein said passage has perforated walls internally of the machine and a pump is provided for circulating dye liquor through said jets.
 6. The machine defined in claim 1, wherein said means at periphery of said metering roller is a spring biased pressure roller engaging the fabric on the periphery of said metering roller.
 7. The machine defined in claim 6, wherein said pressure roller is mounted on a spring biased lever, and means is provided for latching said lever in inoperative position while the machine is being loaded with fabric. 